


Responsibilities (A Father's Day fic)

by waddiwasiwitch



Series: The Mustang Family Collection [10]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: F/M, Father's Day, Royai - Freeform, Royai kid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-16
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2020-05-13 05:09:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19244476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waddiwasiwitch/pseuds/waddiwasiwitch
Summary: Roy’s plans for a nice Father’s Day with his wife and son run awry when he’s called to headquarters in the middle of the night.





	Responsibilities (A Father's Day fic)

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Father’s Day to all the dads!
> 
> This is kind of a companion piece to Mother's Day.

 

**Responsibilities**

Roy rubbed his eyes tiredly. It was Sunday morning, Father’s Day, and despite plans to spend the day with his wife and son, he was forced to leave his warm bed in the middle of the night and travel to headquarters. Reports of a small fire in the military barracks in East City was something that he, the most senior General in Eastern, could not ignore even at the danger of breaking his son’s heart.

By the time the General got there, the fire was under control. The smell of smoke was still in the air but all of the soldiers had been evacuated and accounted for. He ordered another count just to be safe. Thankfully, there were only minor injuries for the medics to attend to but suspected there was substantial damage to some of the rooms. They would know the full scale of the damage in the daylight but it likely mainly smoke damage.

He looked around the courtyard. Soldiers were running to and fro. He spotted Breda in the distance and waved him over.

“Good morning, sir!” the Second Lieutenant said tiredly.

“Breda, what do we know?” he demanded.

“It looks like it was an accident, sir.”

Roy clenched his jaw and tapped his foot. “An accident, huh?” he said coldly.

The redhead continued, “One of the recruits admitted to smoking and throwing away one of his cigarette butts. He said he didn’t realise the drums were full of flammable liquid.”

Roy clenched his fists, a vein popping in his forehead. “People could have been killed due to his carelessness.”

“His CO is pretty pissed, sir. I thought the kid was going to wet himself.”

When he got his hands on the kid, he might just throttle him.

Breda nodded, “He is currently being treated for burns, sir. I told him you will want to speak to him.”

“Tomorrow,” Roy said. “Today I want to go home to my wife and kid.”

“At the risk of sounding like your wife, Boss, there is a shitload of paperwork with your name on it.”

Roy’s face fell. “Breda, get me all the information you can. Report to the office as soon as you can because we need to write up an official report stat. If the imbecile is recovered, bring him and his CO with you.”

* * *

When Roy arrived back in the office, he was still seething.  _Incompetent fool._  It could have been a lot worse. As he passed the coat rack in the corner, he noticed something in the pocket of his coat. Frowning, he pulled it out a crumpled card.

Scrawled on the front in colourful letters was “Happy Father’s Day, Daddy”.

His lip twitched upward. What possessed his son to put it in his coat? Whatever reason, he was glad for it. He opened the card to reveal three matchstick figures. In the same matching colourful letters was “I love you. Love from Maes.”

He put the card on his desk and with a renewed sense of vigour, started on the dreaded official reports. He could at least get the basic reports done and fill in the more detailed ones once Breda arrived with the kid and his boss.

After an hour of mind-numbing scribbling, his phone rang.

“General Mustang,” he barked.  

“General,” said the voice, “Captain Mustang is looking to be patched through.”

He smiled. “Put her through, Kitty.”

“Just one moment.”

There was a beep and then, “Hi, Roy.”

All the tension left his body at the sound of her voice.

“Riza,” he said softly.

“What happened? Is everyone alright?”

Roy pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a noisy exhale. “Everyone was evacuated. Just some smoke inhalation and minor burns. Nothing serious.”

“That’s good,” she replied.

He snorted and sagged back into his chair. “Would you believe that some idiot dropped a cigarette near some flammable barrels?”

“Tell me it wasn’t Havoc!” He could hear the smile in her voice.

He chuckled at that. “I would kill him if he did that. I’ll be seeing the kid and CO later. Good life lesson on how cigarettes can kill you.” Rolling his eyes he continued, “Thanks to that fool it looks like I’m going to miss most of Father’s Day filling out these damn reports.”

“Actually, I’m going to come into the office. Chris has offered to take Maes for a few hours.”

He felt a wave of affection for his wonderful wife.

“You don’t have to.”

“True,” she said, “but you’ll get home quicker with my help and you’ll get to spend some of Father’s Day with your son.”

He really was a lucky man.

“Riza, I love you, you know.”

“Roy, we shouldn’t really be having personal conversations on this line especially declarations of love.”

He was turning into Maes Hughes. He could imagine the knowing smirk and he calculated look his friend would have given him.

He glanced at the card again. A warmth in his chest, he asked, “Is Maes still asleep?”

She chuckled. “Not a chance. He’s been up for the last hour.”

“Can you put him on the phone?”

“Hang on a minute,” she said.

Roy fingered the card again. Some days, he could scarcely believe how lucky he was. His son never ceased to amaze him. He put the card back on his desk.

“Hi, Daddy.” He was breathing heavily like had been running around. “When will you be home?”

His heart constricted at the words.

“I’m sorry I had to go this morning,” he said. “I promise I’ll be home as soon as I can. When your mom’s here, work happens much faster. I think she has a special gift.”

“Ok, Daddy. I have a present for you.”

“Do you now? Well, you’ll never guess what I found in my coat pocket?”

“You found my card,” the boy shouted excitedly.

Roy had to put the phone away from his ear in order to save his eardrum.

“I have it on my desk and it is going to help me do my work better and faster now.”

“Do I have magic powers too?”

“Of course.”

There was a knock on the door and Roy sighed. It must be Breda.

“Listen, buddy, I’ve got to go now. Be good for your Grandma!”

“I’m always good.”

“Sure, you little imp.”

Maes giggled and hung up the phone.

“Come in,” Roy called.

Breda entered, a knowing smile on his face. “Were you on the phone?”

Roy straightened up. “That’s what phones are for, Breda. To communicate.”

After talking to his wife and son, he felt in a much better mood.

“I have them waiting in the outer office,” Breda said. “Will I send them in?”

“Actually, you might get us some coffee and sandwiches first.” Roy stood up and stretched his arms. “I am parched and I don’t think it will do any harm to leave them waiting a little while longer.”

The redhead shook his head. “Let them stew.” He eyed him. “Although, you don’t look like you’re about to tear the kid a new one.”

“Aha - but he doesn’t know that!” Roy waved his index finger. “On reflection, I suppose he’s learned his lesson. It would be a different story if the fire had been more serious.” Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, he leaned forward. “As it is, there were no black marks against him when I looked up his file, so I’ll leave the decision up to his CO.” He glanced at the card on his desk again. “He’s only a kid and we all make mistakes after all.”

Breda raised an eyebrow. “Are you getting soft, Boss?”

_Probably._

“No, of course not,” Roy lied.

_Fin_


End file.
